Music and copyright

Musical works are a group of works protected by the Copyright Act that includes musical scores, sheet music, and compositions. Song lyrics are protected as literary works. The schools sector have rights to use musical copyright materials within the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968 through both statutory and voluntary licences.

Most schools are currently able to avail themselves of five copyright licences that provide certain copying rights in relation to musical works. All government and Catholic schools are covered by the licence arrangements. Independent schools licence arrangements will vary—all will be covered by the CAL licence, and mostly all will have the other licence agreements. It is suggested that independent schools check with their bursar or whoever decides these issues within the school. If no one is aware of the current licence arrangements check with the Association of Independent Schools in your state.

For schools wishing to reproduce music from published hardcopy musical works the AMCOS administered Print Music (Voluntary Licence) usually permits more generous reproduction than that permitted under the Published Works (Part VB Statutory Licence) of the Copyright Act.

Copyright Material	Licence Coverage	Managing Agency
Print Music (Voluntary Licence)	This licence allows schools to copy a whole piece of sheet music (15 copies for Secondary Schools and 30 copies for primary schools) from one original	Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners” Society (AMCOS)
Published Works (Part VB Statutory Licence)	The Hardcopy licence allows educational institutions to reproduce notated music for educational purposes from a hardcopy.	Copyright Agency Limited (CAL)
Digital Works (Part VB Statutory Licence)	The Electronic Reproduction and Communication Licence allows an educational institution to reproduce electronic notated music for educational purposes and also allows it to communicate such material.	Copyright Agency Limited (CAL)
Performance (Voluntary Licence)	This licence allows schools to put on public performances other than grand right works such as Cats or Oliver or The Merry Widow.	Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA)
Sound Recordings of Music (Voluntary Licence)	This allows schools to copy sound recordings on record, CD, tape but not digitally as yet. It also allows schools to tape or video school concerts.	The Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS)

A useful booklet on this area is produced by AMCOS, called Music Copyright for Schools it contains a great deal of information about the AMCOS, AMCOS/ARIA and ARPA licences and other copyright music issues relevant to schools. A hardcopy of this resource is available for free from AMCOS, or schools may download it for free from APRA’s website: http://www.apra.com.au – and go to Licences/schools/downloads.

Further information on the AMCOS licence or other music copyright issues may also be obtained from Fiona Loader, Print Music Education Licensing Manager, AMCOS. Her contact details are:

Ph: (02) 9935 7714
Fax: (02) 9935 7790
Email: floader@apra.com.au.
Address: AMCOS, 6-12 Atchinson Street, St Leonards, 2065.